Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), also called neonatal withdrawal syndrome, refers to a constellation of behavioral and physiologic signs and symptoms in newborns exposed in uterus to addictive illegal or prescription drugs. Infants born with NAS typically have prolonged hospital stays, experience serious medical complications, and are costly to treat.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome occurs because a pregnant woman takes opiate or narcotic drugs such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone (Oxycontin) methadone or buprenorphine.
These and other substances pass through the placenta that connects the baby to its mother in the womb. The baby becomes addicted along with the mother.
At birth, the baby is still dependent on the drug. Because the baby is no longer getting the drug after birth, symptoms of withdrawal may occur.
Some babies with severe symptoms need medicines such as methadone and morphine to treat withdrawal symptoms.
The goal of treatment is to prescribe the infant a drug similar to the one the mother used during pregnancy and slowly decrease the dose over time. This helps wean the baby off the drug and relieves some withdrawal symptoms. Breastfeeding may also be helpful.
Conclusion:
When making treatment decisions just before or during pregnancy, it is important that women and their doctors weigh the benefits of opioid analgesic medications along with their potential risks for birth defects, including some types of congenital heart defects, which are important contributors to infant morbidity and mortality.
Also, the best goal is to avoid opiates altogether. Quitting before you get pregnant is ideal, but stopping drug use at any point during pregnancy will benefit your baby.
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk2hOYUpKVI
CDC report:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6408a3.htm
Know more about substance abuse during pregnancy:
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/illegal-drugs-during-pregnancy/
#medicine #drugaddiction #birth #NAS
It's the distinctive scream/crying that breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteIt's a horrible thought that some women, while pregnant, would use these substances with the intention of giving birth.
ReplyDeleteApplicable for caffeine too? Although perhaps it is not potent enough
ReplyDeleteCaffeine is not potent enough, indeed.
ReplyDelete